Schools on four Greek islands will remain closed until next week due to ongoing earthquakes, local authorities announced on Saturday.
Since February 1, the popular tourist islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios have experienced over 800 tremors with a magnitude of 3 or higher. This seismic activity has led to the evacuation of most of Santorini’s 16,000 residents as well as many visitors.
Although the frequency of the earthquakes has somewhat decreased, 11 quakes of at least magnitude 4 were recorded on Saturday, with the strongest reaching magnitude 4.9 in the morning. Fortunately, no significant damage or casualties have been reported since the quakes began.
Experts caution, however, that stronger earthquakes cannot be ruled out. As a precaution, authorities in Athens have decided to keep schools on these four islands closed until February 14.
Historically, Greece has faced severe earthquakes, with one of the most powerful recorded in the 20th century occurring near Amorgos in July 1956, resulting in 53 fatalities. Experts have indicated that the recent tremors are not connected to the volcano on Santorini, which famously erupted around 1600 B.C., causing one of the most significant eruptions in human history. Another volcano in the vicinity erupted approximately 375 years ago.
As the situation develops, the focus remains on ensuring the safety of residents and tourists alike.
